A gap in the implementation of the National School Nutrition Policy is one of the contributing factors to obesity of children in the Eastern Cape, according to a research study.

The study which saw a Department of Public Health senior lecturer, Dr Sibusiso Nomatshila, obtain his PhD at Walter Sisulu University’s May 2023 graduation ceremonies, found that obesity in early childhood increased the risk for adult obesity, and is also associated with non-communicable diseases such as hypertension and diabetes.  

“The food children are served in the school nutrition programme goes against the policy guidelines that state meals must be nutritious and low in calories. There is more starch than vegetables,” said Nomatshila.

Obesity is a global public health concern that begins in childhood and is on the rise among people aged 18  and above. This brings substantial health consequences that offer socioeconomic challenges at all levels - from households to governments. 

The study revealed that learners who carry money for lunch at school tend to skip breakfast, which is one of the risk factors for obesity.

“Children use the money to buy junk food which is made available at school while they are prohibited in terms of the school nutrition policy. This provides evidence that there is a problem with the enforcement of the policy and research shows that obesity in early childhood impacts negatively on the academic performance of learners,” said Nomatshila.

The study also reviewed what is being taught in Life Orientation as a subject in schools and looked at its provisions for the prevention of noncommunicable diseases.

“The study discovered that there are provisions in Life Orientation lessons, however, they are not adequate. You will realise that it is just a session or few lines that will address the matter to speak about cancer but the syllabus carries on to other things without discussing preventive measures,” added Nomatshila.

The study suggested that learners should be taught about noncommunicable diseases in the early stages of their education. As the learners grow, then the content on the subject should be increased to strengthen prevention purposes.

“There is a cocktail of issues that need to be addressed and they are mainly health promotion issues. Health Promotion as a discipline is not available in various structures of government. You can find them with the Department of Health, but not in education to monitor physical education and lifestyle of children in schools,” said Nomatshila.

Nomatshila further said that there are policies that do not adequately cover the prevention of noncommunicable diseases in the school nutrition policy and a gap in the visibility of Health Promotion practitioners in communities and schools to ensure that what is not acceptable at home is also not acceptable in school.

He concluded that government should also look at enforcing locally grown foods as part of school nutrition.

-       Anita Roji